September Tutorial: Rule of Thirds

Many of the visual arts, such as painting and graphic design use the rule of thirds as a general rule of thumb – even scrapbooking!  (see Christy Riopel‘s article on page 132 in our Fall 2010 issue of Canadian Scrapbooker magazine)  The same holds true for photography.

The rule of thirds (or principle of thirds) states ”that an image should be imagined as divided into nine equal parts by two equally-spaced horizontal lines and two equally-spaced vertical lines, and that important compositional elements should be placed along these lines or their intersections.” (Wikipedia)

Huh?

Well, in layman’s terms, it simply means that if you mentally divide your image into a 3×3 grid, your points of interest should be placed at either the intersection points or along the horizontal or vertical lines.  This will created a balanced photo, allowing the reader to view it in a natural way – studies have shown that the eyes have a tendency to start at these intersection points, rather than the centre so using the rule of thirds creates an image that is pleasing to the viewer and will easily engage them.

For example:

Taken with Nikon D70 at f/4, 1/1250 sec., ISO 200

This photo engages the viewer, not only because of its’ adorable subject (love those little pigtails!), but because the focal point and points of interest are placed at an intersection point (subject’s eyes) or along the lines (subject, horizon, grass) as illustrated below:

Rule of thirds, illustrated.

Take the following photo, as another example:

Taken with Nikon D70 at f/11, 1/400 sec., ISO 200

While the monochromatic colour scheme and the starkness of the black on white are effective, the photo is static and uninspiring.  But look what happens when I reframed the image, using the rule of thirds:

Taken with Nikon D70 at f/11, 1/400 sec., ISO 200

By zooming in on the image and shifting it to the left side, the tree is accentuated and the branches lead the eye across the image.  It also eliminates any distracting background elements in the background.

As a side note, I could have made my aperture (f/stop) wider (i.e. smaller number, like f/2) to achieve a short depth of field.  To do so, I would have had to increase my shutter speed (i.e. 1/8000th of a second) to achieve the same exposure.  You can review the tutorial on Depth of Field here.

Here are a few more examples:

Taken with Nikon D300s at f/8, 1/500 sec., ISO 200

Some cameras offer a setting that displays a grid in the viewfinder to help the photographer line up their elements according to the rule of thirds.

So grab your camera, check your manual for a grid display setting and start viewing things in a different way today!

September 2010 photography assignment:

Using the September tutorial as a guide, photograph a subject or object using the rule of thirds.  Line up your subject in various ways to get the most effective composition.  As always, if you have any questions, please leave me a comment on this post, or email me.

Deadline:  11:59 pm EST, September 30th, 2010

Please submit your photo, using our submission form only, for a chance to be entered into our draw to win an awesome prize.   Photos must have been taken between Sept. 7th and 30th, 2010.  A randomly chosen entry will be drawn after the deadline.  Please click HERE to review the rules regarding this draw BEFORE submitting.  Please note – submissions that are not relative to the tutorial and/or do not abide by these rules will not be posted on the blog, or entered into the draw.  PLEASE remember that your submitted photos should be sized to 72dpi, and at least 500 pixels wide.  Don’t forget to  include your camera settings, including camera used, f/stop, aperture and ISO for your image in the Comments section of the submisson form!  Submissions that do not include this info may not be posted on the blog.

This month’s sponsor is Bo Bunny!  Check out this sweet prize pack from their Gypsy line!

September Prize Sponsor: Bo Bunny

But that’s not all you could win… stay tuned for details (to follow shortly!) on our big one-year blog-iversary contest for a chance to be published in Canadian Scrapbooker and to win a Cinch!!

Cheers,

August Tutorial – Natural/Available Light

We’ve looked at both daylight/sunlight and artificial light.  This month, I’d like to discuss natural light.

Natural light  is sometime referred to as available light.  When I mention available light, I am referring to all types of lighting that occur naturally in a scene (with the exception of direct sunlight).  Preferred by many photographers, it is free and produces near true-to-life colour and excellent detail. 

When one mentions natural light, most people will generally think of light from a large window, such as in the following photos.

Taken with Nikon D70 at f/4.5, 1/40 sec., ISO 200

Taken with Nikon D90 at f/1.8, 1/60 sec., ISO 200

However, it is not always necessary to have a large window, although it certainly helps!  Consider the following photo:

Taken with Nikon D90 at f/1.8, 1/60 sec., ISO 200

The only available light was from an average sized kitchen window.  Fortunately, directly across from the window was a stainless steel refridgerator, which acted as a natural reflector!

Of course, this is not always the case.   You may have to use your own reflector, either purchased or handmade, and position it opposite your light source to reflect onto your subject.

Sometimes, it is necessary to move closer to the light source, as I have below.  (Granted, this handsome little fellow graces my kitchen window all the time…)  You’ll notice that I’ve opened my aperture wide to f/1.8 to overcompensate from the backlighting from the window light.

Taken with Nikon D90 at f/1.8, 1/640 sec., ISO 200.

 Sometimes, your available light will not come from a window, but a door!  Our french doors leading out to our deck provide perfect lighting for photographing my layouts, cards and projects.  You could also use patio doors, garage doors, etc…

Taken with Nikon D300s at f/1.8, 1/2500 sec., ISO 500

You may have noticed that almost all of the photos shown here, with the exception of the first one, were shot with an aperture of f/1.8.  Because using existing light sometimes results in low-light situations, your best bet for capturing a properly exposed photo is to use a faster lens, such as a f/1.8 or f/1.4.  If you don’t have a fast lens, don’t despair!  You can see that it is possible to achieve a properly exposed image using a smaller aperture (remember:  larger f/stop number (i.e. f/4.5) = small aperture…).  However, prepare to adjust your ISO and shutter speeds to allow more light into your camera.  If your shutter speeds are too slow, use a tripod to avoid camera shake.

Having said that, you’ll notice that in the last photo, my shutter speed is very fast to counter balance the wide-open aperture.  I could have slowed the shutter speed down and used a smaller aperture, without having to use a tripod, but I wanted a very shallow depth of field for this image.  Notice that the leaf and one petal is in focus, but the remainder of the image is blurred?  This is the beauty of shooting in manual mode - you can manipulate your results to suit your needs!

So grab your camera, find a subject (preferably willing!) and hunt down some available light for this assignment!

Your August assignment:

Using the August tutorial as a guide, photograph a subject or object in natural/available light.  Remember to play with reflectors to see the effect they have on your lighting.  Have fun and experiment!!  As always, if you have any questions, please leave me a comment on this post, or email me.

Deadline:  11:59 pm EST, August 31st, 2010

Please submit your photo, using our submission form only, for a chance to be entered into our draw to win an awesome prize.  A randomly chosen entry will be drawn after the deadline.  Please click HERE to review the rules regarding this draw BEFORE submitting.  Please note – submissions that are not relative to the tutorial and/or do not abide by these rules will not be posted on the blog, or entered into the draw.  PLEASE remember that your photos should be sized to 72dpi, and at least 500 pixels wide.  Don’t forget to  include your camera settings, including camera used, f/stop, aperture and ISO for your image in the Comments section of the submisson form!  Submissions that do not include this info may not be posted on the blog.

This month’s sponsor is  SEI!  Check out this sweet prize pack from their Moravia line!

August 2010 Prize Pack by SEI

Thanks for playing along this month – Happy Clicking!

July Tutorial – Artificial Light

 Artificial light refers to any light source that is not naturally occuring in your shooting environment.  It includes a built-in or on-camera flash, external flash unit, studio lighting or even a do-it-yourself lighting set up.  It can also include other creative light sources, such as spotlights and even headlights, like Kathryn Hore of Australia did in these photos.

On Camera Flash

On-camera flashes will fire automatically when in AUTO mode, but may need to be activated when in exposure or creative modes by popping up your flash.  This type of flash often causes unsightly red-eye effects in your subjects:

Source: www.wikipedia.com

 Red eye is caused when the flash is close to the lens in low light situations.  Because the flash occurs quickly, the pupil cannot constrict fast enough and the light reflects off the fundus at the back of the eyeball and out through the pupil.   The red colour comes from the large amount of blood found in the choroid at the back of the eye, behind the retina. (source: www.wikipedia.com)

There are several ways to prevent red eye.  You can use an external flash, directly or indirectly.  If you do not have an external flash unit, try to turn on as many lights as possible and have your subject avoid looking directly at the lens.  If all else fails, you can use photo editing software in post-production to correct it.

External Flash Unit

An external flash is a separate unit that can be purchased and attached to your camera using a “hot shoe“, usually located on the top of your camera. 

There are two ways to employ an external light.  Direct flash is when your flash is pointed directly at your subject.  If you remember from our May 2010 tutorial, you can use direct flash to fill-in your subject when using backlighting. 

Taken with Nikon D70 at f/4.5, 1/320 sec., ISO 200. Flash fired.

It is not without fault, though – direct flash can leave harsh shadows behind your subject or leave a glare on any reflective surface, such as a mirror, window, high-gloss painted wall or eyeglasses.  Depending on your proximity to your subject, it can also wash out colours and overexpose the foreground.  Notice the difference in lighting in the following photos:

Taken with Nikon D90 at f/4, 1/60 sec., ISO 640. Direct flash fired.

Taken with Nikon D90 at f/4, 1/60 sec., ISO 640. Bounced flash fired.

The lighting is much softer in the bounced flash photo, and the glare from my dad’s eyeglasses is eliminated.  He looked down (he’s camera shy!) which may have contributed to the elimination of glare – I always ask my bespectacled subjects  to tilt their heads down a notch to avoid this.   In addition, the harsh shadows behind his head in the first photo are softened in the second.

Indirect flash is a better option.  One method is to bounce your light.  To do so, you need to have a flat white or light coloured surface, such as a ceiling, wall or reflector that will reflect the light, or you can use a bounce card, like this 15 second do-it-yourself version. 

Remember that the angle of incidence will equal the angle of reflection when bouncing your flash, as discussed in the Summer 2010 Hands On! Photography article.  As a general rule of thumb, aim your flash at a point that is midway between your flash and subject.  Also remember that by bouncing the light, you are doubling the distance that it has to travel so adjust your exposure settings accordingly.

Another method of indirect flash is to use a diffuser. It softens the impact of a powerful external flash unit and minimizes shadows.  There are several commercial products on the market, but if you are budget conscious, search online for “do it yourself flash diffuser” for a range of ideas.

Studio Lighting

Studio lighting can be very cost prohibitive, especially for amateur photographers who are trying to turn their hobby into a profession.  When determining studio set up, you will have to consider both space and cost of both categories of lighting:  continuous and flash.  Continuous lighting is inexpensive so it’s a good choice for an initial set up.  It also allows you to view the lighting before the image is taken, revealing shadows and highlights.  However, it can be very hot and uncomfortable for both you and your subject.  It also causes your subject’s irises to dilate, which is generally not desired in portraits.

There are so many considerations when choosing flash lighting such as power, reliability, features and of course, cost.  Several retailers will set lighting kits, which are ideal for an initial investment, such as this one or this one.  As with any large investment, it is wise to research and determine your needs prior to purchasing. 

Do It Yourself Lighting

If you are still experimenting, or are on a tight budget, there are several places online that offer ideas and tips for a build-your-own studio.   Here are a few that I found interesting:

ProPhotoLIfe.com – DIY Studio Product Photography – Ep. 1
ProPhotoLIfe.com – DIY Studio Product Photography – Ep. 4
Putting Together a Budget DIY Lighting System
PVC Backdrop/Light stand
Homemade Cheap DIY Backdrop Stand (lighting options offered further down in article)

I’m sure there are more out there – just use your search feature on your browser.

Now it’s time to try out what we’ve learned!

Your July assignment: 

Using the July tutorial as a guide, photograph a subject using artificial light.  Use your on-camera flash, an external flash unit or get creative and try to find unique artificial light to complement your image.  Try bouncing your flash off the ceiling or a wall.  Dig out a piece of white foam core and use it as a reflector.  Go out and PLAY!!  As always, if you have any questions, please leave me a comment on this post, or email me. 

Deadline:  11:59 pm EST, July 31st, 2010 

Please submit your photo, using our submission form only, for a chance to be entered into our draw to win an awesome prize.  A randomly chosen entry will be drawn after the deadline.  Please click HERE to review the rules regarding this draw BEFORE submitting.  Please note – submissions that are not relative to the tutorial and/or do not abide by these rules will not be posted on the blog, or entered into the draw.  PLEASE remember that your photos should be sized to 72dpi, and at least 500 pixels wide.  Don’t forget to  include your camera settings, including camera used, f/stop, aperture and ISO for your image in the Comments section of the submisson form!  Submissions that do not include this info may not be posted on the blog.

This month’s sponsor is Stampin’ Up – Check out July’s prize pack!

Thanks for playing along this month… Happy Clicking!

June Tutorial – Daylight/Sunlight

As dicussed in the Summer 2010 issue of Canadian Scrapbooker, there is a distinct difference between daylight and sunlight.  When we talk about sunlight, we refer to the actual rays that light your subject.  For example, I captured our golden retriever, Simon, one wintry day, as he basked in the sun:

Taken with Nikon D70 at f/5.6, 1/2000 sec., ISO 200

Daylight, on the other hand, may be available even in the absence of sunlight.  Consider an overcast day - there is often still enough illumination that lights our subject without direct streams of sunlight.  It can also found in the shade of a tree on a sunny day, or on a covered porch, such as this photo of my son, Connor – taken on our covered porch, with a white reflector.

Taken with Nikon D70 at f/2, 1/160 sec., ISO 200

There are a few things to remember when shooting in direct sunlight.

1. Avoid strong, direct sunlight, if possible, for portraitures.  If it is unavoidable, try to make your own shade by using your body.  You could also use your reflector or a piece of posterboard to block the sun.  If nothing is available to create shade, position your subject with the sunlight behind them.  If you remember from last month’s tutorial on backlighting, your camera will be fooled by the bright background so you will need to increase your exposure to correctly light their face(s).

2.  Instead of using your reflector to create shade, you can use it to fill in the shadows.  Prop it up so that the sunlight is bouncing onto the dark areas of your photo – you should be able to see this with your naked eye, as you move it around.  (here’s a great video on how to use a reflector) You can purchase reflectors in a variety of colours and sizes.  You could also use white foam core, a white bedsheet, a silver windshield shade or even just cardboard, covered in tin foil or gold metallic foil, depending on your lighting preferences.

3.  Try using a lens hood to avoid flares, if desired.

Sunlight and daylight have both advantages and disadvantages.  On one hand, they both come in varying degrees of brightness, one is usually available at any outdoor shoot, and it’s free of charge!  However, there are also disadvantages – daylight and sunlight are not a constant source of lighting as it changes in both colour and direction, depending onthe time, weather and location.

Are you ready?  You’ll need to get outdoors for this assignment!

Your June assignment: 

Using the June tutorial as a guide, photograph a subject or object using daylight or sunlight.  Remember to use a reflector to fill in any shadows.  Go outside and PLAY!!  As always, if you have any questions, please leave me a comment on this post, or email me. 

Deadline:  11:59 pm EST, June 30th, 2010 

Please submit your photo, using our submission form only, for a chance to be entered into our draw to win an awesome prize.  A randomly chosen entry will be drawn after the deadline.  Please click HERE to review the rules regarding this draw BEFORE submitting.  Please note – submissions that are not relative to the tutorial and/or do not abide by these rules will not be posted on the blog, or entered into the draw.  PLEASE remember that your photos should be sized to 72dpi, and at least 500 pixels wide.  Don’t forget to  include your camera settings, including camera used, f/stop, aperture and ISO for your image in the Comments section of the submisson form!  Submissions that do not include this info may not be posted on the blog.

This month’s sponsor is Glitz Design – Check out June’s prize pack!

June 2010 Prize Pack - Glitz Designs

Thanks for playing along this month… Happy Clicking!

May tutorial – Back Lighting

In the Mar/Apr tutorial, we talked alot about front and side lighting.  This month, we’re going to try our hand at backlighting.

Backlighting, as I mentioned in the Canadian Scrapbooker Spring 2010 article, can be a difficult task to master, so it is not widely used.  However when used correctly, it can produce dramatic results.

Backlighting results from placing your light source directly behind your subject.  This eliminates any undesireable facial expressions such as squinting and blinking, but your camera may be fooled by the background light and your subject will appear underexposed. 

There are several methods of handling exposure for backlighting, depending on your desired end results.

Silhouettes are always dramatic – and they are easier to create than you would think.  Simply place your subject directly in front of your light source and expose your image for the background light.  Most cameras’ sensors will choose settings based on the brightest light available, which in this case is usually the surrounding background light.  If in Auto mode (*gasp*), this means that your subject will be underexposed, creating a silhouette.  Even if shooting in Manual mode, your camera’s built-in exposure meter will show the same settings.  To expose for the subject, you will need to increase the amount of light to your subject by opening up your aperture, slowing your shutter speed or increasing your ISO sensitivity (see prior tutorials and articles, if you’d like a refresher):

Taken with Nikon D70 at f/8, 1/1250 sec., ISO 200

As discussed in my article, backlighting may cause lens flares.  Given the right subject and the correct angle, they can provide drama and interest to an image.  However, it can ruin some photos as well, so it’s important to know how to create, and prevent, them from occurring. 

Lens flares are caused by the sun hitting your lens directly, so to achieve this technique, you have to position yourself so that you are shooting directly into the sun.  That means that at certain times, you may need to get right down onto the ground and shoot up at your subject!

Photo Source: www.digital-photography-school.com

In the above photo, the photographer has used the sun to create lens flares for dramatic impact.  You can see that because the photographer exposed for the subjects on the steps, the background becomes overexposed, or “blown out”.

As I said earlier, lens flare is not always desireable. 

Taken with Nikon D70 at f/5, 1/320 sec.

 In this photo, the lens flares cross right in front of the image and mar the subject’s image.  As well, you can see the dust mote in the flares that detract from the image.  To prevent lens flare, you can purchase a lens hood to use, or create your own!  If you are stuck without one, your hand can work in a pinch – just be sure not to obstruct your own view!

Backlighting can also be used for a technique called the hair light, or “the kicker”.  It’s often used by photographers when photographing dark-haired people against a dark background, but it can also be used to highlight wispy hair, or whiskers as shown in this photo  that I found by serni:

Photo by serni (http://www.flickr.com/photos/serni/)

Lastly, backlighting can be used to illustrate tranparency of objects, such as leaves or flowers.  The following photo was taken by naughton321 - gooseberries were laid on a standard light box!

Photo by naughton321 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/naughton321/)

 Your May assignment: 

Using the May tutorial as a guide, photograph a subject with BACKLIGHTING.  Get creative and try to catch some lens flares in an artistic manner.  Silhouette your subject, or expose for your subject and see the effects on the background.  Try to photograph translucent items.  Go out and PLAY!!  As always, if you have any questions, please leave me a comment on this post, or email me. 

Deadline:  11:59 pm EST, May 31th, 2010 

Please submit your photo, using our submission form only, for a chance to be entered into our draw to win an awesome prize.  A randomly chosen entry will be drawn after the deadline.  Please click HERE to review the rules regarding this draw BEFORE submitting.  Please note – submissions that are not relative to the tutorial and/or do not abide by these rules will not be posted on the blog, or entered into the draw.  PLEASE remember that your photos should be sized to 72dpi, and 500 pixels wide.  Don’t forget to  include your camera settings, including camera used, f/stop, aperture and ISO for your image in the Comments section of the submisson form!

This month’s sponsor is Nikki Sivils, Scrapbooker – Look at all that yummy goodness!

Thanks for playing along this month – happy clicking!

March/April tutorial – Side Lighting

Welcome to Part II of the March/April combined tutorial!  Yesterday, I wrote about front lighting and its’ characteristics; today, I’m going to write about side lighting – our assignment this month will have a bit of a twist, so read on! 

Side lighting, as the name implies, refers to lighting that is directed towards your subject from either the right or left sides.  It is more effective than front lighting for many situations in that it effectively uses shadows to reveal texture and depth in your photos. 

Consider the following landscape: 

Taken with Nikon D60 at f/5.6, 1/500 sec., ISO 360

One of my favourite barns that I’ve come across, this photo captures the texture of the wood panels and faded roof paint, while effectively casting the right side of the barn in shadow.  The light source was the setting sun, hitting the left side of the barn.  A bit of useless trivia – this photo was taken with me and my camera, hanging out the car window, driving up to Collingwood for a weekend getaway.  Don’t worry – the camera strap was wrapped around my wrist about three times! Oh, and I was the passenger, not driver!  

Side lighting is not only useful in photographing older subjects, but it is equally capable of capturing children.  In the following photo, the side lighting from our front window highlights my daughter’s fine flyaway hair, capturing what we referred to as her “crazy hair” effectively, preserving the memories: 

Taken with Nikon D70 at f/4, 1/250 sec., ISO 200

Side lighting can be effective in candid and sport photography as well.  I snapped this photo of my son coming up for air, during warm ups at his Regionals meet.  The pool had one entire wall made of windows, which made this photographer mama VERY happy!   The fast shutter speed, combined with the lighting, captures the water sluicing off his face, and the water droplets as he came up. 

Taken with Nikon D90 at f/5.6, 1/320 sec., ISO 640

As well, side lighting is crucial for striking black & white photography.  Black & white photography uses a mixture of grey tones to capture your subject so lighting is particularly important because in my opinion, it is the effect of shadows on the subject that causes photos to become extraordinary.  

With the event of digital photography, it doesn’t matter if your photos were shot in colour or black & white.  PhotoShop and other photo processing software allows us to convert our photos, using actions or various features.  So it is especially important to get the lighting correct for your photos, for you may decide later to convert them to black & white or sepia.   

Look at the following photos of my daughter.  In this first photo, Aili is laying on our bed, facing the patio doors.  Frontal lighting provides great exposure and while the expression is adorable (okay, so I’m biased! ), it looks flat and two-dimensional. 

Taken with Nikon D70 at f/3.5, 1/40 sec., ISO 200

Because of the clashing of our deep red walls with her pink sleeper, I chose to convert this photo to black & white, using Adobe PhotoShop Creative Suite 4.  

Taken with Nikon D70 at f/3.5, 1/40 sec., ISO 200

Again, adorable (in my opinion!) and there are good catchlights in her eyes, but the overall appearance is flat and lacks depth. 

Now, note the following photo.  I carefully propped Aili up and turned her perpendicular to the doors.  Sitting on the floor next to her (with one hand on her thigh!), I managed to capture this photo: 

Taken with Nikon D70 at f/4.5, 1/40 sec., ISO 200

I love the depth in this photo, with the dark shadowing on the right, but still managing to capture the catchlights in her eyes, not to mention those chubby cheeks! 

Now, because side lighting tends to produce these shadows, it is important to consider your subject.  If an overall exposure is desired, you can lighten your shadows by using a reflector of some sort, to bounce the lighting towards the back of  your subject. 

In the following photo shoot, I asked the couple to stand in front of the window at a 45 degree angle.  While the lighting on Mom-To-Be is effective, Dad is cast in her shadow a bit. 

Taken with Nikon D70 at f/4, 1/60 sec., ISO 200

So I set up a large piece of white foam core to act as a reflector and bounce some of the side lighting onto Dad.  This is what it look like: 

Photo shoot set-up

We will be discussing reflectors and bouncing light in later tutorials, but it’s important to remember that light reflects OFF a surface at exactly the same angle at which it hits the reflective surface.  So when setting up a reflector, remember to position it accordingly.  You can usually see the reflected light on your subject so use your eyes as your guide. 

This was the result of using a reflector: 

Taken with Nikon D70 at f/4, 1/60 sec., ISO 200

So I’ve discussed various effects of side lighting – now how do you get it?  Well, it’s pretty straightforward – just position your subject so that your light source, whether it be natural light from a window, the sun or even headlights, strikes from the side.  Consider your subject when choosing your camera settings.  You can use your information gained from the previous tutorials or use your camera’s electronic analog exposure display (in your viewfinder display) to determine exposure and aperture.  We will discuss the electronic exposure display more later on, but your camera’s manual should contain information on it, if it’s an available feature. 

Now for the fun part!!  I decided to combine the March and April tutorials for a couple of reasons.  First, because of the technical changes, I am posting this tutorial later in the month, which leaves less time for your March submissions.  And secondly, I think that combining the two tutorials will be an effective teaching aid in that it will allow you to photograph the same subject with two different lighting scenarios.  What better way to see the effects of both!?  

Your March/April assignment: 

Using both March/April tutorials as a guide, photograph a subject with both FRONT and SIDE lighting.  This may involve moving your subject, moving your feet, or photographing the same scenario at different times of the day.  Then submit BOTH of your photos to me to be eligible for our draw.  Remember, your photo will be of the same subject – but with different lighting directions!  As always, if you have any questions, please leave me a comment on this post, or email me. 

Deadline:  11:59 pm EST, April 30th, 2010 

Because you have to submit TWO photos, I’m giving you an extra month!   Please submit your photo, using our submission form only, for a chance to be entered into our draw to win one of  two prizes.  Yep, you heard right!!  We’re combining our tutorials but we’re going to have TWO winners!  A randomly chosen entry will be drawn after the deadline.  Please click HERE to review the rules regarding this draw BEFORE submitting.  Please note – submissions that are not relative to the tutorial and/or do not abide by these rules will not be posted on the blog, or entered into the draw.  Don’t forget to include your camera used, along with your camera settings for BOTH photos in the Comments section of the submisson form! 

Our March/April prize packs will be revealed shortly! 

Happy Clicking!

March/April tutorial – Front Lighting

In the Spring 2010 issue of Canadian Scrapbooker magazine, I discussed three directions of lighting: front, side and back.  This month, we will do something different - I will be discussing both front and side lighting and their different effects!  Today we will talk about front lighting.

Front lighting is exactly as described:  lighting that is directed toward the front of your subject.  It is very easy to use and can come from many sources:  on-camera flash, sunlight from behind the photographer, and directed studio lighting to name a few.  Front lighting generally results in bright, well-lit photos:

Taken with Nikon D70 at f/6.3, 1/160 sec., ISO 200

Despite its’ ease of use, professional photographers do not tend to use it very often, or only in particular settings.  Front lighting will cause your subject to appear flat, losing the illusion of texture.  It is for this reason that it is sometimes referred to as “flat lighting”.  It is particularly effective in landscape or architectural photos, like these, where there is a need for uniform lighting:  

Taken with Nikon D60 at f/9, 1/200 sec., ISO 100

Taken with Nikon D70 at f/10, 1/200 sec., ISO 200

Oftentimes, during portrait photography, front lighting in the form of sunlight will cause your subject to squint:  

Taken with Nikon D70 at f/5.3, 1/800 sec., ISO 200

Taken with Nikon D70 at f/10, 1/400 sec., ISO 640

Taken with Nikon D70 at f/4.5, 1/60 sec., ISO 200

Check back tomorrow for the tutorial on Side Lighting and your March/April assignment!

Cheers!

February tutorial: Sunny 16 Rule

This month’s tutorial is a fairly simple concept to grasp, but its’ application can be difficult to use if you don’t understand the correlation between shutter speed and aperture. I discussed this correlation in the Spring 2008 issue of Canadian Scrapbooker, and again back in October, in Part II of that month’s tutorial.  However, since it’s so important in understanding photography, we will delve into it again a bit later on.

First, however, let’s look at the Sunny f/16 rule.  This guideline in photography was developed as a rule of thumb to achieve correct exposures without a light meter, while outside or in direct sunlight.  It states that “on a sunny day, set aperture to f/16 and shutter speed to the [reciprocal of the] ISO film speed.” (reference:  www.wikipedia.com).  So what does it mean?

Well, if you are shooting at an ISO of 100, the reciprocal of the ISO film speed would be 1/100, or the closest available shutter speed*  of 1/125 (*Note: many digital cameras deal in 1/3 increment values for shutter speed, but for this tutorial, I will deal with whole values only.  Thus 1/125 is the closest available shutter speed when considering this).   Therefore, the Sunny f/16 rule means that you can usually assume, when shooting with a film speed or digital ISO of 100, that an aperture of f/16 and shutter speed of 1/125 will give you the proper exposure on a sunny day.  This is also true for any equivalent setting.  This is where the understanding of the correlation between shutter speed and aperture kicks in!

To review:  Imagine that you have your kitchen faucet’s tap wide open, filling your sink to do a mountain of dishes.  At this speed, let’s say it takes a couple of  minutes to fill your sink with hot, sudsy water.  Now imagine that the tap is barely open, so that water is just trickling out.  It would take much, much longer to fill, right?  Aperture and shutter speed work the same way.  For example, per the Sunny f/16 rule, the following is a proper setting on a sunny day:

ISO 100 > f/16 > 1/125*

Now, as I described in the Spring 2008 issue, the following settings would be equivalent to f/16, 1/125 sec.,  at ISO 100:

f/22 > 1/60
f/11 > 1/250
f/8 > 1/500
f/5.6 > 1/1000
f/4 > 1/2000
f/2.8 > 1/4000

But what if I want to shoot our subject with a very short depth of field, as in our January assignment?  As per the above table, you would set your aperture to f/2 and your shutter speed to 1/4000, which is a very fast shutter speed.  You can also achieve the same exposure by changing your ISO, as we discussed in the October tutorial.  By using a less sensitive ISO speed, you can use a slower shutter speed.  Check your camera’s manual to see your minimum ISO speed.

Taken with Nikon D70 at f/16, 1/400 sec., ISO 400

But what if it’s not sunny?  Well, the following adjustments can be made to your aperture for variable lighting situations:

Sunny > use f/16
Slightly overcast > use f/11
Overcast > use f/8
Heavily Overcast > f/5.6
Dawn/Dusk > f/4

(Because of the reflective nature of sand or snow, you should DECREASE your aperture when following this rule to f/22)

The Sunny F/16 rule, like everything is not fool proof.  You may need to adjust your aperture a half-stop or more, if your subject is backlit.  It is best to use bracketing (see October tutorial: Part I) to ensure that you capture to best exposure.  Consider this example:

Taken with Nikon D70 at f/8, 1/250 sec., ISO 100

When applied to this setting, the Sunny f/16 rule dictates that the optimum exposure should be f/16 > 1/125th sec., or the equivalent of f/11 > 1/250th sec.  However, in noticing that my daughter’s hat cast a slight shadow on her face, I decided to open up my aperture one more full stop to f/8.  While there is still a slight shadow, her features are visible and her skin tone is not overexposed.

Alright – are you ready to play along?  The trick will be to find a sunny day in the middle of winter – but you can use the chart of equivalents above for overcast situations!  If you have any question, please leave me a comment on this post or email me! 

Your February assignment:

Using this tutorial as a guide, apply the Sunny f/16 rule to determine the proper exposure for your outdoor photo.  Please remember to include your camera settings to be eligible for the draw!

Deadline: 11:59 pm EST, February 28th, 2010

Please submit your photo(s), using our submission form, for a chance to be entered into our draw. A randomly chosen entry will be drawn after the deadline. Please click HERE to review the rules regarding this draw before submitting. Please note – submissions that are not relative to the tutorial and/or do not abide by these rules will NOT be posted on the blog, or entered into the drawing.

Our February prize pack will be revealed shortly!

Happy Clicking!

January assignment: Depth of Field

Ever notice how some photos have subjects that just seem to POP off the background?  More than likely, they are photos with a very shallow depth of field.  The term, depth of field (DoF), is ”the portion of a scene that appears acceptably sharp in the image”¹.

DoF is a relatively straight-forward technique and is determined by a number of factors, such as subject distance, focal length, aperture and format size¹.  However, for this tutorial, we are going to concentrate on using aperture to control our DoF.

 The premise of the technique is that the smaller your aperture, the larger your DoF.  To understand DoF, you must understand aperture, shutter speed and the correlation between the two.  You may recall this discussion in my article in the Spring 2008 issue of Canadian Scrapbooker, Capturing the Light: Aperture & Exposure.  Aperture is the measure of the shutter’s opening which allows light to enter the lens.   I have found that the part that sometimes confuses people is that a higher (or smaller) aperture is represented by a larger number (e.g.: f/22).  Conversely, a lower (or larger) aperture is denoted by a smaller number, such as f/1.8.  Once you can remember this, it will become easier!

I have taken a series of photographs to demonstrate the effects of changing your aperture to control your DoF.  I lined up our personalized mugs and using various apertures, snapped these photos.  In all photos, I was focused on my name on the red mug.    In the first photo, the small aperture of f/22 allowed for a large enough DoF to allow all four mugs to be in focus, relatively.  The mugs on the outer edges are a bit softer but this is due to my close proximity to the subjects.

Taken with Nikon D70 at f/22, 1/2.5 sec., ISO 800

 Next, I increased my aperture by half, to f/11.  Note how the DoF is changing and becoming smaller.

Taken with Nikon D70 at f/11, 1/10 sec., ISO 800

Taken with Nikon D70 at f/8, 1/15 sec., ISO 800

Decreasing my aperture by half again, to f/4, the outer cups are completely out of focus and the third cup is on its’ way:

¹ www.wikipedia.com

December Assignment Deadline Extended!

I have several other submissions that I will upload tomorrow, but wanted to make a couple of quick announcements!

First, due to the holidays, I’m going to extend the December assignment deadline to January 5th, 2010!!  Be sure to send us your photos by 11:59pm EST to be eligible to win this lovely prize pack by Kelly Panacci:

Secondly, I hinted earlier that we will be having a contest on the Hands On blog, but with illnesses and then the holidays, it seemed to get away from me!   But we will definitely be hosting a contest so watch for details in early January!!

Now let’s go out and take some photos!